Universal and Sony Music have both had their YouTube view-counts and channels drastically cut by YouTube. A spokesman for YouTube was cryptic about the slashing, saying “This was not a bug or a security breach. This was an enforcement of our viewcount policy.” The DailyDot repeats speculation from Black Hat World (“a forum where users trade tips about unethical search engine optimization tactics”) where users have suggested that the entertainment giants got their ears pinned back after they were caught buying fake “likes” and “views” from a crooked botmaster.
Sony/BMG was the second largest sufferer, dropping more than 850 million views in one day, bringing its total number of views to a mere 2.3 million. RCA, which got off scot free by comparison, dipped 159 million views. Its tally now sits more modestly at 120 million views.
In addition, each label’s YouTube archives are now surprisingly thin. UMG, which had long held a heavy hand in YouTube operations, now only boasts five videos on its YouTube channel, none of which are actual songs—and none of which last more than 1:23.
Sony’s page, by comparison, is currently empty. The company did not respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment.
YouTube strips Universal and Sony of 2 billion fake views [Chase Hoffberger/Daily Dot]
(via Reddit)